painting center caps

[fenrisx]

The center caps on my 5-spoke limited wheels were starting to look pretty bad. The paint was peeling off all of them, except for one. Where the paint had chipped/peeled away it was a dark gray/brownish color.

I've seen a few of the split 6-spoke wheels with black center caps, but never the limited 5-spokes. So, I figured I'd be a guinnea pig (although I'm sure it's been done before).

I scuffed them up, and got most of the flaking paint off with sand paper. Then I sprayed a few coats of primer on them.

At this point I intended on lining the Toyota emblem with petroleum jelly to keep the Rust-O-Leum hammered paint from coloring it as well, but I didn't have any petroleum jelly! I had some bathroom cleaner than was a relatively thick gel, and figured I'd try it.

I applied it with a q-tip, which was slightly too big. So, I did my best to wipe the excess off, but I think I missed a spot. Hopefully this works out okay, otherwise I'll be buying a paint pen to paint the emblem.

Anyways.. I've got a few coats of the Rust-O-Leum hammered finish on 'em now. They're on the porch drying.

I'll post up some pictures when I get them on. I hope it doesn't look too bad.

[4x4mike]

I use Duplicolor wheel paint. It's silver but I'm not sure if just silver is what they call it. It's almost an exact match and I spray mine about once a year. I rotate my tires every oil change so I'm more likely to scratch things up. I don't bother with the Toyota emblem and spray right over them, they look like new.

[fenrisx]

Well.. my hopes that the gel would do ok in place of the petroleum jelly didn't work out. I don't know why I thought the stuff wouldn't dry...

Anyways, it doesn't look too bad. I think it'll look better once I paint the emblem silver. I might leave 'em like this.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4750329936_e9d42bd62c_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4750331374_7a508ed3fe_z.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4749689325_c4a33880b5_z.jpg

I forgot to take the switch the camera's focus off of macro for the full body shots... so they didn't turn out as good.

I guess this would have been better suited for General Vehicle Tech, rather than OT. Move it Chris! :D

[Okie81]

Looks good; at least better than they did before right?

That silver would be nice if you had the flares/trim to match it. :popcorn:

nice work :thumbup:

[4x4mike]

Just checked. It is Duplicolor High Performance Wheel Coating color WP101. No sanding, no primer and a near perfect match. Just a couple coats and some sunlight.

[fenrisx]

Thanks... I'll go that route if I end up disliking the black. I actually want to do my entire wheels with a gun metal Duplicolor HP wheel Coating eventually.. I'll save that for another day though! I don't have time right now with the fam, work, and summer semester.

[fenrisx]

I went to super Target, regular Wal-Mart, O-Reilly's... none of them had paint markers.

One thing I can say about the super Walmart in GA where I used to live is they had a large paint selection.. including paint markers.

I was hoping to paint the emblem on the caps silver today, but no luck.

[4x4mike]

I couldn't find one that last time I went looking. I ended up getting the closest thing I could find and it ended up being water soluble and for paper posters.

When I was a kid one of my teachers used them on everything. They were the DecoColor brand and were really nice.

[Okie81]

Just checked. It is Duplicolor High Performance Wheel Coating color WP101. No sanding, no primer and a near perfect match. Just a couple coats and some sunlight.

Thanks Mike, I'm going to look into that

[habanero]

Try an art supply store...

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=gc1650
Watch their weekly ad online, almost every week they have 40% off or better coupons.

[fenrisx]

I just started painting the emblems silver... I went with a brand called 'Marvy Decocolor'. The guy at Blick's recommended it over the Sharpie paint marker.. Works good.

Word of advice, get a fine tip paint marker. I thought a medium point would be the perfect size, but it's just thick enough that it's hitting to far on the edges, and hitting parts that aren't the emblem. For the time being I'm not going to worry about it.

I think I almost like them all black... now that I have the emblems silver. I'm going to leave 'em for a week, and then decide which I like better.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4769220385_4ee3ea5c35_z.jpg

[Bob98SR5]

well i must say they look alot better w/ the silver toyota emblem painted :)

[fenrisx]

well i must say they look alot better w/ the silver toyota emblem painted :)


I agree. At first I didn't like it. However, after a trip to Target last night, I was looking at it in the parking lot and it looks good.